5 interesting facts about ISRO's largest rocket

The successful launch of GSLV Mark III makes ISRO self reliant in launching heavier communication satellites

The Indian Space Research Organisation on Thursday launched its first experimental suborbital flight.

This was the test launch for ISRO heaviest and upgraded rocket, the GSLV Mark III, which is carrying the Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment (CARE).

The flight took off from ISRO’s space station Sriharikota, near Chennai. Here are five things you need to know about the GSLV Mark III mission.

1) After its successful Mars mission, this is ISRO's next step to put a man in space.

2) The Rs 155 crore mission has twin purposes -- the main purpose is to test the rocket’s atmospheric flight stability with around 4-tonne luggage. The second is to study the re-entry characteristics of the crew module called Crew Module Atmospheric Re-entry Experiment.

3) Other critical technologies are also to be developed for ISRO's manned mission. These are being developed parallelly at other centres. But recovery of the capsule from out of atmosphere will be the first to be tested.

4) GSLV Mark III is the heaviest next generation rocket, conceived and designed to make ISRO self reliant in launching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weigh 4,500 to 5,000 kg. Once operational, this rocket will have the capability to ferry four-tonne class of Insat series of communication satellites, which are currently being launched through Arianespace.

5) This is the second mission of the GSLV rocket during the last four years after two such launches failed in 2010.